One of the things I enjoyed most about staying at myhotel was the 4 am wake-up call on the day we departed London. I know this sounds a little masochistic, but it wasn't the fact that the phone rang, rather that an actual soothing voice on the other end beckoned me from sleep. This simple gesture epitomizes why myhotel could be one of the top-rated boutique hotels in the world.

Aside from the minimalist touches and the vintage charm mixed with modern enhancements, myhotel embodies personalization. Before you even arrive, you're sent a questionnaire seeking your preferences -- still vs sparking water; the need for ear plugs or a sleeping mask; feather vs hypoallergenic pillows; wish for chocolate or a bottle of red wine in your room upon arrival. Even music is taken into account. Whether you're a jazz, pop or House fan, that music will be playing in your room when you step into it for the first time. Meticulous design is noted throught the building; its east meets west theme is felt throughout from quiet sanctuaries to the art and photography.

And
not that you spend much time in your room when you're visiting London,
but coming back to a place of comfort is necessary after walking the
city all day. We stayed in mysuite -- a wonderful, two-room space with
a sitting chamber (complete with a day bed), two large closets and
fabulous king-size bed with a down comforter, feather pillows and
high-thread-count cotton sheets. But it was more the little touches:
the plasma TV, the CD playing chillout music, the complemetary bottled
water and Tazo teas, the plush terry robes and slippers and, of course,
the array of Aveda products in the bathroom.

myhotel is all about comfort and luxury -- and the more money you
want to spend, the more comfortable and luxurious you can be. The top
floor of the hotel comprises myplace: two sprawling penthouse suites
that can become one if necessary. They're attached along the outside of
the building by a long terrace overlooking the city and each has
incredible amenities that make you feel like you're at home: stainless
steel kitchen, large sitting rooms, stereos, Asian art and more. One of
the penthouse suites even has a pop-up hidden panel to control the
electronics in the room. It's from this feature that the hotel markets
the penthouse as "James Bond meets the Dalai Lama," because you can
exist in tranquility while surrounded by extreme modernism.

The hotel is located on a small street just off Tottenham Court Road
and Bedford Square mere minutes from Soho, Covent Garden and a number
of other great neighborhoods in Central London. One afternoon, we
grabbed a couple of the hotel's oversized umbrellas, went for a stroll
and discovered we were in the middle of a charming collegiate area
where nearly every building holds historic significance and is marked
as such with a blue plaque.

And when we returned from our walk, we kicked back in mybar with our first truly good latte
during our week stay in London (while they've got tea down, the English
are not known for their strong coffee). My only complaint was free WiFi
wasn't offered in the rooms, but free Internet service was offered
downstairs in the Library.

See, it's the little things that make a hotel. And when you add up
all the little things, it gives you plenty of reasons why it's called
myhotel.

myhotel has a second London property in Chelsea and is currently constructing a seaside spot in Brighton, which is being designed by Karim Rashid and feng shui master William Spear, who has consulted on all the myhotel properties.